Old Navy's BuzzFeed takeover includes interactive holiday cheerAn Old Navy homepage takeover of BuzzFeed via AKQA encouraged users to "Deck the Web" pages by applying Christmas-related iconography to websites and sharing the pages. "We were trying to make something endearing and engaging for the holidays that matched other things Old Navy was doing," said BuzzFeed Chief Creative Officer Jeff Greenspan. The brand has also purchased a series of eight sponsored posts to promote holiday sales. ClickZ
(12/5)

Canada's online retailers gear up for Free Shipping DaySome 142 merchants have signed onto Canada's second Free Shipping Day on Dec. 12, with many cutting shipping fees altogether and others lowering their minimum orders. About 2,600 merchants now participate in the U.S. version of the day, but retailers say it's tougher in Canada where logistics are more complicated and shipping costs are higher. Financial Post (Canada)
(12/5)

Five Social Commerce Resolutions for 2013Has your Reviews provider become too costly? Is piecing together your Social Commerce solution too hard? Pluck's Reviews++ is world-class Reviews, Forums, Blogs, Gamification and a whole lot more in one integrated platform. Download our 2013 Social Commerce Resolutions to get the New Year started right.

New Media & Technology

AT&T Alerts lets shoppers find bargains at retail outletsAT&T introduced a service Wednesday that uses geolocation technology to send text messages to shoppers informing them of nearby stores offering sales and other promotions. The free opt-in AT&T Alerts service is compatible with all of the carrier's smartphones except the iPhone 5, which the company said it will add down the road. Also at AT&T, Mobility head Ralph de la Vega offered an update on the carrier's mobile-wallet tests in Austin, Texas, and Salt Lake City, saying that the major challenge is ensuring that the near-field communication technology in smartphones is secure. Computerworld
(12/5), Light Reading Mobile
(12/5)

Mobile apps hold promise for storesSmartphones are improving the in-store shopping experience for consumers, who increasingly use the devices to compare prices, and a growing number of merchants and mobile applications are coming together to make it even better, industry experts say. "Some of these retailers have done a great job of integrating their in-store experience with their mobile experience," said Shop.org Executive Director Vicki Cantrell. Mashable
(12/5)

Companies in the News

Rue La La rolls out 1st permanent shopRue La La made its name as a high-fashion flash sale site, but the nature of its business doesn't lend itself to holiday gift buying so the company has created its first permanent retail collection this season, said CEO Ben Fischman. He added that he's not worried about competition from Amazon's new high-fashion offerings. Forbes
(12/5)

Amazon takes Kindle Store to BrazilAmazon launched the Kindle Store in Brazil, the online retailer's first try at entering a market with only e-books, instead of making the Kindle part of a larger retail operation. TechCrunch
(12/6)

Most advertisers plan to boost mobile spendingEight in 10 ad buyers say they plan to increase mobile-ad purchases during the next 12 to 18 months, according to a Cowen and Co. survey. At least three-quarters of the advertisers polled said they expect to spend 5% or more of their total ad budget on mobile by the end of that period. eMarketer
(12/6)

Legislative & Regulatory

Lawmakers promise to push forward on sales tax billSenate supporters of the Marketplace Fairness Act say they won't drop efforts to pass the bill this year, but it probably wouldn't be part of legislation addressing the "fiscal cliff." "There'll be other bills that come up before the end of the year. We'll look for a vehicle," said Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. The Hill/On the Money blog
(12/5)

Shop.org Spotlight

Tips to make the most out of your e-holiday marketingWith only a few weeks remaining before the end of the holiday season, making significant changes to a holiday marketing program can prove to be difficult and chaotic. A new white paper by Steelhouse posted in the Shop.org library provides an in-depth plan to reassess strategies to help drive click-through rates, incentivize past purchasers and create loyal shoppers. Also included: 10 e-commerce opportunities marketers should focus on to ensure holiday campaigns are a success. Download the white paper.

Looking to hire? Post now on the Shop.org job boardThe Shop.org job board is available to members as a platform for sharing job opportunities relevant to retailers and service providers within the online and multichannel retail industry. Including analytics, IT and general e-commerce positions, choose from over ten categories to share job openings and build your team through the best digital community in the business. Visit the job board.